Living Out Our Faith Skillfully - Chapter 3/Paragraph 1
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Introduction
Introduction
Tonight, we will do a review of James 3:1-12. These verses are the first paragraph of this chapter. I want to begin by reminding that I give chapter 3 this title. It is “Living Out Our Faith Skillfully.” And, as we have already noted in our study, this first paragraph deals with the tongue. If we are going to live our our faith skillfully, we must understand the power of the tongue. It is one of the most used muscles in our bodies. So, let’s take a moment and do a review of what we have learned. Then, after that, we are going to use the outline of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as our model for further review of this chapter.
Here is what we learned from each verse or verses we studied.
PARAGRAPH RECAP
PARAGRAPH RECAP
We started with:
VERSE 1
VERSE 1
1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
In this verse, we learned about the responsibility that comes with teaching others. The Holy Spirit us to be careful about seeking such a position. The word “master” literally means teacher. We also noted that those who teach will one day give an account to God for how and what they taught to others. They will be the ones who will receive “the greater condemnation.”
PRINCIPLE: Teaching others is a serious responsibility resulting in Divine accountability.
VERSE 2
VERSE 2
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
From this verse, we learned the universality of sin. There is not one person sitting here tonight or listening on our live stream that is not a sinner. The fact is we not only sin, but we sin in many different ways. Additionally, for a person to say that they do not sin, especially in words, is ridiculous. Only a perfect (completely mature) person can make that claim. And, if they were perfect, they would be able to control every part of their body.
PRINCIPLE: We are all sinners and must admit we have no control over the flesh.
VERSES 3 & 4
VERSES 3 & 4
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
The Holy Spirit follows verse 2 by giving us some practical illustrations. We have the horses’ bit and a ship’s helm or rudder. Both are very small devices. A horses bit is around 6 - 8 inches. Yet, that small bit controls an 1800 pound animal. By the same token, the rudder of a ship is very small compared the overall size of the vessel. That small rudder, under the control of the helmsman, controls the movement of the ship even under adverse circumstances such as fierce winds.
PRINCIPLE: Small things possess great power.
VERSES 5 & 6
VERSES 5 & 6
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
The Holy Spirit takes those illustrations and applies them to our tongue. Just like the bit and the rudder, our tongues are small. Small things have great power. The tongue is very powerful. It is small. It is pride’s most valuable tool. An uncontrolled tongue is quite destructive.
PRINCIPLE: Our sinful tongue is small, full of itself, and tends to seed nothing but destruction.
VERSES 7 & 8
VERSES 7 & 8
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
There are lot of things man has tamed - beasts, birds, creeping things (serpents), sea creatures. It is easier to tame things nature than it is our tongue. No person is able to tame or control their tongue. The tongue controlled by the flesh is unruly (totally out of control), evil (full of wickedness and sin), and filled with deadly poison (ready to cause destruction).
PRINCIPLE: We are completely incapable of controlling our sinful, fleshly tongue.
VERSES 9 & 10
VERSES 9 & 10
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
In these verses, we find that the tongue is a paradox. With it, we bless God, and, in the same minute, we curse men who made in God’s likeness. It spews both blessing and cursing. It is also a parrot. The word “proceedeth” as the idea of repeatedly doing the same thing over and over again. Thus, our tongue continually parrots blessing and cursing. Thus, for the reasons listed in verse 7-10, we must prohibit the tongue. The Holy Spirit clearly states that we need to stop using our tongues in the wrong way.
PRINCIPLE: Believers must stop using their tongues in a sinful manner.
VERSES 11 & 12
VERSES 11 & 12
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Again, the Holy Spirit uses some practical illustrations. Three things are used in His illustration. He uses a spring of water, a fig tree, and a grapevine. In using these illustrations, He points out our main issue. Our issues is our heart. Remember the illustration is about how like kind reproduces like kind. A fountain cannot produce two kinds of water at the same time. It either gives you sweet water or bitter. Fig trees only bear figs, not olives. Grapevines only bear grapes, not figs. Thus, the lesson is this. If you have a carnal minded heart, your mouth will spew forth carnality. However, if you have a spiritually minded heart, your mouth will spew forth spiritual things.
PRINCIPLE: Your heart determines what comes out of your mouth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 APPLICATION
2 Timothy 3:16-17 APPLICATION
Okay, let’s take a moment and reflect on how what we have learned aligns with 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which says:
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Now, remember that:
Doctrine - What is Right!
Reproof - What is NOT Right!
Correction - How to GET Right!
Instruction in Righteousness - How to STAY Right!
Let’s start with we have learned that is RIGHT!
WHAT IS RIGHT!
WHAT IS RIGHT!
First,
It is right that teaching carries great responsibility and accountability.
1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
This corresponds with the fact that all of us, regardless of teaching or not, are responsible for every thing we do. And, all of us, as believes, will indeed one day stand before the Lord to account for our stewardship which includes the use of our tongue. Here are few Scripture passages that speak to this principle.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Thus, we must understand the seriousness of what we do each day in our bodies. It matters not if it is our thoughts, words, or deeds, all of it will be accounted before the Lord. For that reason, we must yield to His control in our lives.
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Second,
It is right that our tongues are small, powerful, and sinful.
From our text, it is quite clear what are tongues are capable of doing. Yes, it is small. However, this small member of ours can set the world on fire around us. If want an example, just think about the last argument you had with someone. The tongue has this unique ability to fuel the flames of emotion. Additionally, it is an unruly evil and full of deadly poison. On top of all that, it spews out both blessing and cursing. The sinful tongue is quite dangerous.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is very wickedness; Their throat is an open sepulchre; They flatter with their tongue.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: Under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, That there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, Until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: But the tongue of the wise is health.
2 For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips talk of mischief.
18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Third,
It is right that we cannot control our tongues.
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
We cannot restrain the tongue. The only one who can restrain our tongues is the Holy Spirit. Our responsibility is to allow Him to reign in us and over us. It is only then that our tongues can be used for good and not for evil.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
That word “yield” is key word. It means to place at one’s disposal. Thus, we, as believers, are to place all of our members, tongue included, to God’s disposal. We are to let Him have control of our entire being. Sin must no longer be allowed to “rein” in our fleshly bodies. We must stop obeying its lust. However, it is something we are incapable of doing. That is why God gave us His Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us providing us the means to bring our bodies under subjection to Him. Later, as we get to James chapter 4, the Holy Spirit encourages us to:
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Submission is the key.
WHAT IS NOT RIGHT!
WHAT IS NOT RIGHT!
In a nutshell, it is not right for us, as believers, to let our tongues go uncontrolled.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Since the tongue is so powerful and extremely dangerous causing great destruction, when we allow it to go off uncontrolled we do great harm. We harm not just the cause of Christ, but we destroy others in the process. The essence of teaching is to help others grow. Using the tongue to help others is the right thing to do. The opposite of that is using the tongue to destroy others. Thus, the warning about seeking to be teachers comes back to how we so often allow our tongues to destroy instead of edifying others.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Consider this. The tongue can be such an evil tool that it can grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Losing control of the tongue results in corruption, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evilness. Nothing good comes from an uncontrolled tongue. However, when we allow the Spirit have control, it is used to edify, kindness, and forgiveness.
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
A person who sets aside their sinful way seeking to grow spiritually through God’s Word is a person who will taste the Lord’s graciousness. It is a sweet as honey. It is something good. God desires that we be fountains of sweet water to others around us. We are not to be fountains of bitterness.
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.
3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles.
HOW TO GET RIGHT!
HOW TO GET RIGHT!
This of course never changes. The key verse is 1 John 1:9.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confession is agreeing with God about sins that you have committed against Him and against others, WITH A COMMITMENT to forsake those sins.
If you have lost control of your tongue as a believer, there is no doubt that you are sinning against God and against others. We have already established the fact that an uncontrolled tongues is sinful and destructive. True confession demands that you start by agreeing with God that you have lost control. In losing control, you agree with God that you have sinned against Him and others. Now, you are making a commitment to forsake your sin. When you do, God is faithful and He is just. He will forgive you and cleanse you of all your unrighteousness. You are now right again with God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
HOW TO STAY RIGHT!
HOW TO STAY RIGHT!
Submission is the key once again.
As we get more into the rest of this chapter as well as chapter four, we will learn more about how to stay right. For now, we know that we must daily humble ourselves before God submitting to Him and not our flesh or the Devil. We must daily and even moment by moment surrender to God. Allowing His Spirit to reign over our body is the only way to stay right in this area. The minute we take control is the minute we lose control of the tongue.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.